André Timmermans, author of DigitalCD, has released an update to his tracker music playing module TimPlayer. The new version adds support for several new tracker file formats, as well as including many other changes and fixes.

Meanwhile, RISC OS Open have secured permission to release the SharedSound module. This should improve the situation regarding sound support for owners of modern ARMv7 powered RISC OS systems.

A bit later than I was hoping, but nevertheless it's now time for Building the Dream 2. This time I'll be looking at the RISC OS sound system - everything from the terminology used, to what makes a sound, how the RISC OS sound system works, and how you can write your own sample player.

In this article we look at some of the programs and projects - some obvious, others less so - that influenced the history of the RISC OS platform and its users. These are our suggestions, not a top ten and certainly not in any particular order. What other applications would you add to the list?

Back in the days when I owned an Acorn Electron, Acornsoft View and a dot matrix printer I often believed, during lengthy and hypnotic printing sessions, that my clunky old printer could - with a little ingenious programming - be used as a drum machine. Perhaps it could even make beautiful music. I was wrong.

Nearly twenty years later (last summer, actually), Epistaxis Time tried it for real in a Resonance FM broadcast by building an "instrument of punishment" called the Dot Matrix Guitar. Host Dan Wilson said "It's a raspy, nasty noise. I hope it agitates you." It does.

You can listen to it online here, download the MP3, or subscribe to the podcast.

Resonance FM is ace. One recent show was 8-Bit Adventures - 30 minutes of bleeps from the world's best 8-bit musicians. The radio station is based in London but you can listen to it in streaming MP3 format from anywhere in the world by the power of Greyskullthe Internet. Unfortunately they're fairly strapped for cash, so join in the fundraising if you can. Even if the shows I've mentioned aren't your fancy, it's brilliant to find a radio station with the freedom to commission and broadcast stuff like this.

Gaming musician and soundsmith Richard Joseph died yesterday aged 53. He was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year. The BAFTA award winner worked on the music and sound effects for many games which were later ported to the Archimedes, including Cannon Fodder, Sensible Soccer, The Chaos Engine, Magic Pockets, and Gods.

Joseph was one of the pioneers of games audio, with his compositions noted for featuring contemporary pop artists (such as Betty Boo in Magic Pockets) and using interactive music (The Chaos Engine) that adapted according to the gameplay.

When one of the questions is "How important is it that the proposed seven-day catch-up service over the internet is available to consumers who are not using Microsoft software?", I think it's important to let them know "very". Even if you personally use Windows, the BBC shouldn't lock down its services to one vendor.

Recently the BPI and Sir Cliff Richard have campaigned to extend the copyright period for music recordings from 50 years to 95 years. The UK government commissioned an independent review that is now recommending that the terms should not be extended.

If the government accepts the review, then in 2008 Mr Richard's earliest songs will come out of copyright, and in 2013 early Beatles records will be royalty free.

However, bad news for Sir Cliff means good news for the older generation of music fans.

Avante-garde musician and composer, Johann Johannson, has recently released his new album. IBM 1401, A User's Manual is based upon the work his father, Johann Gunnarsson, did back in 1964 as chief maintenance engineer of one of Iceland's first computers.

The album is performed by a sixty piece string orchestra with electronic sounds and vintage recordings found in his father's attic falling neatly in-between. The IBM 1401 mainframe was programmed to "sing" by placing a radio receiver next to it and controlling the strong electromagnetic waves emitted, producing a thoughtful, engaging and breathtaking experience.

There's an interesting article about the making of the album on the official web site, linked below.